The two great Queens divided by 350 years and very different circumstances have shown women in the top job to best effect. Both came to the throne in eras when it was assumed men filled the leadership roles. Both inherited the job despite rules giving precedence to the male line. Both handled male dominated institutions with skill. The second Elizabeth was a role model for many more women leaders who in recent years have risen to the most powerful roles in our society, changing our public and business realms substantially so all but the most unreformed welcome good women leaders as well as men.
Their jobs were very different. Elizabeth I was head of government as well as Head of State,wielding ultimate power in her realm. Elizabeth II was the perfect constitutional monarch, embodying the power of the state but leaving it to governments elected by the people and answerable to Parliament to exercise the power.
Elizabeth I was at constant risk of assassination as her religious and political enemies circled. She had to reckon with the possible enmity of Spain, the super power of the day, drawing her into war. She needed to still the conflicts between Catholic and Protestant. She led her country to a remarkable victory against a huge Spanish invasion fleet and presided over a welcome internal peace which powered rising prosperity and a cultural flowering.
Elizabeth II survived the world war which threatened her family just like others from the bombing campaigns and inherited the throne at a young age owing to her father’s untimely death. She needed to keep the idea of monarchy fresh and lively for a new modernising era.With great skill she evolved the style and practice of the monarchy, adapting it to a television age. Her image like her predecessors was on every token of our money , on our postage stamps and in many a Council chamber and boardroom. It was also there in our living rooms on tv showing us her every move and gesture on visits and at state occasions. As the reign advanced so we saw more of her family life.She faced a level of public and media scrutiny that previous monarchs avoided, though they had often been lambasted by cartoonists and scribbling critics.
September 13, 2022
Good morning.
Sorry if I come over as a bit of poor man’s Sir David Starkey pedant, but we had other Queens too. Two of which had a very profound impact on this nation – Queen Anne and Queen Victoria.
Queen Anne was the first Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Queen VIctoria presided over the change to the Constitutional Monarchy we see today. Like politicians, their achievements and failure are built on the shoulders of others. I therefore argue that the world in which Queen Elizabeth II inherited was largely as the result of those two women and some men in between.
What King Charles III legacy will leave his son will remain to be seen. I am sure we wish him well.
September 13, 2022
The changes made and encouraged in the UK came about largely through Queen Victoria’s husband Albert. A time of great economic, industrial, architectural and some social change.
September 13, 2022
And the greatness which ensued in Queen Anne’s reign was due in no small part to John Churchill.
September 13, 2022
Sadly JRs govt, with the Queen as head of state, ran away from Afghanistan after causing loss of life to UK citizens, life changing injuries to UK citizens, billions of taxpayersâ cash over 20 years, her grandson served there as well. This week we read how girls are trying to protest against the Taliban banning girls from education in eastern provinces. Liz Truss PM gave the terrorist Taliban ÂŁ100 million of taxpayersâ money!
Pity the Queen did not have powers as her forebears, I am confident she would have done a better job than this pitiful party and govt.
September 13, 2022
I wish my wife could compose articles as well as this
September 13, 2022
+1
Very enigmatic, Dom.
September 13, 2022
Although you have compared the Queens .they come from different times and we mainly see what has been caricatured of Elizabeth 1st . The power to order execution and the lack of understanding of commoners is certainly not a role or a perception of Elizabeth 11. Our late Queen stands alone.
I actually came on this blog site to learn a little about modern conservatives and economics , however John ,it is becoming a more unbalanced site with LL’s views expressed in a vulgar manner and taking far too much space. As soon as I see his views sprawled all over the blog site I simply switch off. I begin to think that you are using his views to further your opinions .
Reply I express my opinions daily myself. No-one else who contributes expresses my views. I post many other people’s views I disagree with.
September 13, 2022
What a strange opportunity youâve taken to snipe at LL, who reminds us daily how successive conservative governments have paid no more than lip service to conservative values while continuing to pretend that they do in order to win elections.
Do you not feel there is a huge disconnect between the electorate and government today?
September 13, 2022
Vulgar? Well perhaps occasionally but some home truths surely often need to be said in plane language.
I support the monarchy (as clearly it is far preferable to President Blair, Cameron, Major, Brown, May, CorbynâŠproviding they keep out of politics) but the more I see of this completely over the top, wall to wall media coverage and the cancellation of football, running and other events by government diktat the more I am put off. The Queen was surely a âthe show must goâ on person? Not a âyour football match must be cancelled because I am more important than you 100,000+ pleb spectators tax payers are.â
September 13, 2022
So King Charles gets a bit pathetically cross about his pen and ink positions. But left handed people like Prince William have to put up with this all the time. Pens on chains too short at the bank, right handed pen nibs, cheque books with the spine making then hard to use, scissors that do not work, ruler numbered the wrong way, having to write left to right, vices on benches that are the wrong side to saw the wood, shaking hands, fly buttons, swiping credit cards – we cope. Time to grow up perhaps.
Good news Liz Truss has dropped the word âwomenâ from the âwomen and equalities ministryâ. How can you be both for women AND equalities? Better still just close the whole department – you can never force equality onto people no matter how much taxes you care to spend/waste on it. Given people all ÂŁ1,000 today and by the end of the year some will have made ÂŁ100,000 with it and others have nothing.
September 14, 2022
LL,
I thought that, how quick tempered. He could have picked them up and asked for the ink pots to be moved. How you treat people is the mark of the person, did not bode well.
What happens when he is told green crap is not being subsidised!
September 13, 2022
The government did not cancel the football and did not lead the meejah response to Her Majesty’s
death. Following Bliar’s hijacking of the public mourning for Princess Diana, lessons have clearly been learned.
September 13, 2022
The government and the police certainly did cancel many big football games! Clearly thinking that the funeral on one 96 year old woman outweighed the interests of millions of football fans and tax payers. How many operation will be cancelled for this bank holiday and how many will die as a direct result of the delay in their operations I wonder? Was any government calculation made?
September 14, 2022
“The Premier League, EFL and WSL have called off fixtures this weekend.” – a headline that rather suggests that the decisions were taken by the promoters of professional football and not by the Dept of Culture, Media and Sport.
September 13, 2022
LL. Yes. It can become all a big of a show and a bit wearing even though I know I will watch the funeral avidly for the pomp and ceremony only this country can produce. Nobody does it better than us and long may it continue.
September 14, 2022
Indeed – but surely rather too much of it for almost every one. Overdoing it so much is not good.
September 13, 2022
Reply to reply.
And thank you for that Sir John, freedom of speech is nowhere to be found in our media any longer, which is an absolute affront to democracy.
September 13, 2022
BOF +1
September 13, 2022
reply to reply…..if none of us manage to express views similar to yours, I do wonder if you try to convert the unconvertable? The clear tolerance you often show for contrary opinions to others’ comments is appreciated.
September 13, 2022
@margaret; Pendent, please, Roman numerals use the capital letter i not the figure 1, there has been no ‘Elizabeth the Eleventh’ yet, never mind a ‘Charles the One Hundred and Eleventh’ as I have seen some write it!
“The power to order execution and the lack of understanding of commoners is certainly not a role or a perception of Elizabeth 11. Our late Queen stands alone.”
Really, I though Capital punishment was still very much on the Statue books when our late Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne? Also let’s not forget that week of indecision in 1997, understandable when you think about it, trouble was the majority of ‘commoners’ were not thinking that week…
“actually came on this blog site to learn a little about modern conservatives and economics”
Good luck with that. IMO the majority of commentators to this site are not Conservatives, merely of the political right.
PS I can vouch for our hosts reply, I doubt he agrees with much if anything I post, certainly not economics. đ
September 13, 2022
Did it really need another long post to attack Margaret for (amongst other things) simply typing 11 instead the Roman numeral equivalent Jerry.
I reckon everyone was communicated to successfully by her original post thanks.
Maybe a new hobby might be good for you.
September 13, 2022
Margaret,
You might like ‘The Conservative Woman’ blog site, the variety and quality of the writing is, generally, excellent. A daily read for me.
The monarchy needs updating, I don’t mean touchy-feely, or ‘It’s a Royal Knockout’ (what a disaster), but if our new King can slim it down, be relevant, (no more ‘imperial visits’ to tropical islands) but doing practical things for the benefit of the Nation, there’s a chance we might see a King William V.
September 13, 2022
margaret, I often disagree with LL and his often misogynistic and single-minded comments, but I enjoy reading his opinions; they challenge me. You don’t have to read them just skip them.
Remember though a successful blog isn’t just the lead writers’ articles (as good as John’s often are, provoking much debate), they are the sum of its ability to start interesting debates and the comments from all free members to contribute.
September 13, 2022
I am not remotely âmisogynisticâ but on average there are large differences in which A levels, degrees, careers they choose, books and magazines they read, games and hobbies they have, life expectancy, strength, aggression levels, crime figures⊠these are just a facts you only have to look at the stats (but clearly these are on average a few women are brilliant at chess & similar but most perhaps sensibly have better things to do.)
September 13, 2022
Youâve just made my point for me. Itâs sad you donât see.
You have daughters did they choose girly A levels, degrees etc.?
Mine all did A level Maths I was no more impressed with that subject than one of my sons doing English. I allowed them to pursue degrees of their choice and their speciality. Who do I think would be the best business person – my daughter. Women like us can often do several things at once because we donât allow others to hold us back, underestimate us, or decide for us and we both have husbands that treat us as equals.
All of my children of both sexes did the exact same hobbies and sports, all are karate black belts, dance to gold medal standard, swam competitively, did drama etc. At school they all did football, tag rugby, In fact in a fight I think my daughter would probably be a lot more vicious and frequently beat boys in competition, the three most effective fighters at their karate club were women. Mine all read the same books too? Although one is more obsessed with football than the other two they all used to go to watch the matches together.
Itâs not your gender that differentiates you, it is old fashioned pre-conceptions.
September 13, 2022
I agree -Tracy. I woukd very much miss LL. and his opinions which I nearly always agree with.
September 13, 2022
Indeed you do – Eventually !
đ
September 13, 2022
I wonder if in this woke environment we all live in will the teachers and lecturers be teaching the young girls and women in their care about the marvelous example Queen Elizabeth II set out and dedicated her life to and the impact it had on people’s lives across the globe?
September 13, 2022
Well they cannot really aspire to be the Queen you are either born one or not. Why on earth are people being arrested and even charged for saying things like âwho voted for King Charlesâ or wearing anti-monarchist T-Shirts surely we must retain free speech. It seems some police think not.
September 13, 2022
There is a time and place for ere by thing. Shouting out controversial things whrn family have to grief publicly is not the right time for “freedom of speech”. It can sometimes be in bad taste. I don’t think any of us would like it.
September 13, 2022
If they are left wing teachers, enjoying the freedoms and huge support for their politics bestowed by this govt. then definitely âNoâ.
September 13, 2022
I don’t think many do, and not many will.
September 13, 2022
Under the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, suppliers are limited in the amount that can be charged for each unit of energy. For a typical household – one that uses 12,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of gas a year, and 2,900 kWh of electricity a year – it means they will pay an average of ÂŁ2,500 a year on their energy bill for the next two years. Without this intervention, that annual bill would have been ÂŁ3,549 a year. Last winter it was ÂŁ1,277 a year.
The support with energy bills will be available for households in England, Scotland and Wales with equivalent assistance for Northern Ireland.
Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) recently described the support package as “very poorly targeted”. “Finding a way of targeting [support] to the many, many millions who really need it, without giving it to the many, many millions who don’t, appears to be something that has stumped the Treasury and the government for finding a mechanism of achieving that,” he said.
The state intervention will be funded by government borrowing, adding to the UK’s already large debt pile. The total cost of the support will depend on the cost of energy on the international energy markets, which can be volatile.
Rich households will receive twice as much support aimed at reducing the cost of living than poorer households next year, a think tank has claimed. The Resolution Foundation said if the government cuts National Insurance and limits energy bill rises, richer homes will get ÂŁ4,700 in 2023, compared to ÂŁ2,200 for the poorest.
A typical household energy bill will be limited to ÂŁ2,500 annually until 2024. The think tank said “details and costings” were missing from the plan.
September 13, 2022
It is a very poor & non market/socialist approach from Truss. Almost bound to increase the problems not to help. The market needs to match supply with demand using price as the mechanism. But Truss is so daft she has not even ditched net zero yet!
September 13, 2022
Well said, and I rather doubt it.
What we are witnessing is mass nostalgia for yesteryear, memories of all the good things of our nation’s past, right down to the anecdotal experience of every citizen’s beloved posterity. The occasion gives a unique opportunity to express something that normally is inexpressible in today’s world. To that extent, it is a deeply reflective moment in the spirit of the nation – an expression of who we want to be, but now mourn, as it slips from our grasp.
There is however, one antidote, found in a book that, significantly, is protected by Crown copyright: the King James Bible – still one of the best translations and so much part of our language and culture, both at home and overseas. A return to it’s message, so honoured by Her Majesty, would lead first to repentance before God, followed by new life in Christ. That would be the true Great Reset – the other is a dangerous counterfeit. Which will prevail? This question is answered in the Book itself.
September 13, 2022
No, they are already linking her to their selective historical obsessions, blown up things she should not be linked to.
September 13, 2022
The govtâs Sex and Relationship Act, cultural Marxism, allows children of tender years to be told a man can be a woman, even Putin called it a crime against humanity! Then we have imposed sexualisation of stories by allowing drag queens to read to very children! Conservatism my foot.
I supposed we are meant to be delighted to have a female PM who rose to office under the quota A list system of her party and selected a quota cabinet. A woman who is incapable of making up her mind whether she is a Lib Dem or Tory or a remainer or leaver. I am not sure we will ever know if she would have got there by ability. Thatcher did.
September 14, 2022
As in many aspects of life, opinion can change over time as experience is gained. It does not have to be deceitful, but can be wise.
September 13, 2022
“all but the most unreformed welcome good women leaders as well as men.”
Yes, Mrs Thatcher and Her Majesty. Indeed. But we should remember the Post Office, Grenfell Tower, Brexit, the Metropolitan Police and knife crime, the scandal at Peterborough. Women, like men, are not perfect and there are far too many placed in jobs which they are simply unfit to handle. We need to remember that in our enthusiasm to get rid of “Pale, male and stale” men.
And then there is the business of juggling the family. Queen Elizabeth I was “the Virgin Queen” for a very good reason. Motherhood is sacred, not something to be left to a few moments of “me time”.
September 13, 2022
Indeed.
Prince Charles asks âdo you think I am madâ then says- ââAs I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us and which reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which members of both Houses dedicate yourselves, with such personal commitment for the betterment of us all.â
Well perhaps 10% of them at nest are trying for the betterment of all.
The rest are surely career politicians or worse still paid advocates âconsultantsâ, pushers of the evil politics of socialism or envy or actually corrupt as we say with the expenses scandal. 90+% of them voted for the climate change act which is directly against the betterment of all and dangerous even in defence terms.
More incompetence with our expensive but rather useless, poorly specified, aircraft carriers I see but it did make it to the Isle of Wight . Defence procurement in the UK seems to be abysmal as bad a ferries in Scotland. So the police cannot cope with a few football games it seems and they have to be cancelled. Why? Not as if they do anything much when you get robbed, mugged, raped, shop lifted, defrauded⊠so what are they all doing exactly?
September 13, 2022
O/T – apologies but two free speech organisations are defending the right of protestors to deny the King in public in the midst of others celebrating the King and mourning the late Queen.
Fine principles and ones I can not disagree with, free speech is a fundamental right whatever is being said and however little those in the vicintity want to hear it.
Where are Liberty and Index on Censorship when women’s groups and lesbian groups are being arrested and moved on for protesting about the trans lobby? Where are these organisations when protestors complain about illegal immigration and are moved along?
Free speech applies to all or none. It is not a choice.
September 13, 2022
Should all towns with ‘Town Halls’ or ‘Civic centres’ have a ‘Speakers Corner’?
But megaphones banned?
September 13, 2022
@NS; “Free speech applies to all or none. It is not a choice.”
Sorry to burst your bubble NS…
We have never truly had free speech in this country, there is no absolute protection of expressed opinion, public or private. What is more, in the last half century, after such progress as there was, the 26 September 1968 perhaps being the pinnacle of progress, it has been down hill all the way since, the snowball of censorship growing all the time, we have now reached the point were even historical documents are censored (worse, sealed or destroyed) so they can not ‘offend’ or challenge, despite at the time of creation/publication being perfectly acceptable and legal.
September 13, 2022
My bubble is not burst Jerry – the statement stands.
Whether it was ever thus or not free speech applies to all or none it is not for the state to choose and certainly not for the self-elected censors.
It is for us not to accept any documents being censored (except perhaps in genuine national security interest rather than convenient national security interest).
September 13, 2022
@NS; “it is not for the state to choose and certainly not for the self-elected censors.”
But that is EXACTLY what has and is still happening, the State often effectively divests far to much of its own powers to self-elected/appointed guardians who then have influence well above their actual punching weight, we first saw this with the -so called- “National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association” in the 1970s.
“It is for us not to accept any documents being censored”
If the uncensored documents have been withheld, worse pulped, how can mere plebs refuse the censored version, short of refusing any version?!
September 14, 2022
Further off topic on the documents side Jerry – I can’t offer a solution to that one.
However, the Twitter mob and those complaining to the police about being triggered by someone’s views or discourse we can and must stand up against. I (and everyone else including anti-monarchists and trans-activists) can say what I want and it is for others to either debate it or ignore it not to shut it down.
September 13, 2022
Brave of you to reply to Jerry NS
It is something that is apparently not allowed.
You will get called hostile or troll or some other term of abuse.
Debate as defined by Jerry is all one way
Smilly face….capital letters…exclamation mark…
September 14, 2022
@Peter2; Is trolling everyone who you disagree with your hobby? By all means join the debate, but that means playing the BALL, not the man, to use a football analogy that you just might understand -but most probably not. đ
September 14, 2022
Thus proving my point perfectly for me Jerry.
Hilarious
September 13, 2022
Is there another country where you feel freedom of speech is better than the UK Jerry?
September 13, 2022
@Peter2; I doubt it, not total freedom to speak, write or display whatever your own thoughts are, although some countries do have written constitutions that offer at least some protection.
September 14, 2022
I didn’t say “total” freedom of speech heffy.
I said better freedom of speech than the UK.
September 14, 2022
Freudian slip.
Meant to say jerry
September 14, 2022
Most of my reply to your question, Peter2, wasn’t about “total” freedom of speech, try reading beyond than fifth word… đ
September 14, 2022
You started your post with total freedom of speech Jerry
What is anyone meant to think you are saying?
Let’s just agree it is a failure of communication on your part, as I am very much aware you are a stickler for the correct use of words
September 15, 2022
@Peter2; No, letâs just agree it is a constant, and perhaps deliberate, failure on YOUR part to read comments fully, never mind understand the context.
Whatever…
September 15, 2022
No, let’s just agree it’s a constant and perhaps deliberate failure on your part to write posts that have a clear content and meaning.
And that are not completely re defined by you when challenged.
September 13, 2022
Indeed, Some half witted police CEO just now seemed to think that “hate speech” was illegal and that “hate speech” was anything that “a reasonable person would find offensive”! If you cannot offend you clearly have no free speech whatsoever.
September 13, 2022
I think that the Victorians destroyed a great deal of 18th century history leading to this notion that women have scarcely ever played their part. And even in Victorian times economically poor women worked, stripped to the waist (unsexed) in the brick fields alongside men. There were quite a few female novelists in the 18th century ( hastily hidden by the Victorians) and before that, female diarists, business owners, healers etc etc. Rabid feminists have been either been misled (or have created a false narrative) by the weird Victorian obsessions many of which have re-emerged today in our leaders. . And prudery was NOT shared by Victoria herself who it seems was very er liberated! Even in Victorian times there were women explorers, pioneers, chemists and on and on..
September 13, 2022
Who becomes monarch is and always has been an accident of life/death/alliances/politics. It was usually just assumed that the monarchâs eldest son would take the throne, probably because, whatever anyone says, men are stronger physically than women and a monarch had to be a warrior. Always exceptions thoughâŠlike Boadicea and probably others, lost to history, or maybe even âcancelledâ.
However, those in charge were always flexible in their choice despite the old rules of succession âŠlike choosing a woman or foreigner over a Catholic for example.
The only problem with female rulers was that they often wanted husbands!
September 13, 2022
I find it remarkable that a Queen came to the throne in the 16th century and lasted for 44 years until her natural death.
September 13, 2022
I was surprised to read an assumption that King Charles III would pass on the Duke of Edinburgh title to his youngest brother; why should this be so? The next in seniority is Princess Anne. Like her mother, a superbly strong, female role model.
September 13, 2022
The meejah is well ahead of the King in allocating titles and residences in his provenance.
September 13, 2022
@-tracy – such conferment has been planned for a long time and explains in part why Edward was given previously the comparatively junior title of Earl rather than Duke. Were you never surprised he had no dukedom?
September 13, 2022
I hadnât thought about it formula.
I had to look up the Debrettâs Guide to the hierarchy of Titles in the Peerage.
Duke; Marquees; Earl; Viscount; Baron.
Is an Earl higher than a Prince or does Edward remain Earl and Prince Edward?
September 14, 2022
@ a-tracy – prince outranks the other titles you list. Most royal princes seem to have additional titles eventually and hold them simultaneously with being a prince.
September 13, 2022
@a-tracy; No, the next in seniority is/was Andrew, then Edward, then Anne. Were Charles to have died without fathering a child Andrew [or Edward *] would have become heir to Elizabeth II, followed by Princess Beatrice. Since when the law of succession has changed, meaning, as I understand it, had Prince William’s first born child been female she would have been William’s heir and successor, regardless of any later born younger brothers. This change in succession law was not retrospective to previous generations.
As for the title “Duke of Edinburgh”, that appears to be a title that follows male heirs, thus the Duchess of Edinburgh is a courtesy rather than primary title. With Andrew and Harry stepping way from Royal duties Edward is the logical successor to the title, unless it is rested (there was no DofE between 1900 and 1947).
[*] had Andrew stepped aside
September 13, 2022
I thought I read the Queen had made changes to the rules of progression, was that only in relation to the crown not the other roles and titles? a shame if that is so.
September 14, 2022
@a-tracy; If you are suggesting the 2011 changes regarding succession should have been retrospective to include the children of Elizabeth II, surely that would have caused all sorts of logistical and practical problems were previously ‘minor’ royals suddenly moved up the accession list into important roles for which they had no training.
September 13, 2022
Thanks for the lecture Jerry
Most informative.
September 14, 2022
My pleasure Peter2, glad I was able to help with your education! đ
PS, is it your Hobby, wasting our hosts time?…
September 14, 2022
Well it keeps people like you busy Jerry
So enjoy.
September 13, 2022
A string of Left-leaning French mayors are revolting against government orders to fly flags at half-mast for the Queenâs funeral, arguing that Emmanuel Macron and the media are displaying an unhealthy penchant for the British monarchy in the land of the French Revolution.
After her death, Mr Macron issued an emotional tribute to Britain and the âQueen of heartsâ and his prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, instructed town halls and other public buildings to lower the French flag to half-mast next Monday.
But the order was not to the taste of Yann Galut, mayor of the central city of Bourges.
âThis request seems incredible to me,â Mr Galut, a former senior Socialist Party official, said. âI respect the sorrow of our English friends but I will not put up the French flag [at half mast] over the municipal buildings of Bourges.â He said later on France 3 television: âWe are a republican country. Why should I pay tribute to a foreign monarch?â
September 13, 2022
Best we all read “Britannia Unchained” (by Chris Skidmore and Kwasi Kwarteng) to gauge just how far to the right Lizzie is going. Kwarteng sacking the Treasury Permanent Secretary is supposed to send some sort of signal; not sure what. One down 147 Treasury Senior Civil Servants to go (out of about 1200+ staff).
Kwarteng âtells Treasury to focus entirely on growthâ. That has been top of the list of Treasury priorities for decades so, good luck with that Kwasi. (BTW Can I suggest you learn to use the National Loans Fund in preference to using the Debt Management Office and its “full funding” remit.)
“Achieving strong and sustainable growth; reducing the deficit and rebalancing the economy; spending taxpayersâ money responsibly; creating a simpler, fairer tax system; creating stronger and safer banks; making corporate taxes more competitive; making it easier for people to access and use financial services; improving regulation of the financial sector to protect customers and the economy. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/about“
September 13, 2022
So that is what the Treasury does! You should see the Bank of England’s web page on Bank Rate. It says –
“We set Bank Rate to influence other interest rates. We use our influence to keep inflation low and stable.”
!
September 13, 2022
According to Jenna Welch Bush Hager ( journalist) who dined with King Charles the night before the Queenâs deathâŠ.the Queenâs death WAS a shock. No one was expecting it.
Never mind these unfeeling people waiting around with a stopwatch and coffin when the 96th birthday is reached.
So I was right in feeling upset and shockedâŠ.even Her close family didnât realise.
September 13, 2022
Her father went suddenly as well. Both together now, at peace.
September 13, 2022
‘Cut from a cloth that is no longer available’ seems to sum her up.
September 13, 2022
or ‘Simply the best, no-one does it better’.
September 13, 2022
I read that EdF has taken a board decision not to proceed with Sizewell C. I do not think that is what precipitated Macron to fire its CEO, because the company is mired in debt as it wrestles with the consequences of Macron’s price freeze edict and the difficulties of repairing the French nuclear fleet ahead of winter. We should take advantage by rapidly switching to alternative proven ABWR technology that can be built on a far faster timescale and far lower cost.
September 13, 2022
+1 – we should certainly review the decisions on Hinkley C, Sizewell and the RR micro reactors – these are not the best technologies.
September 13, 2022
Have I missed something, but isn’t nuclear power a colossal expense to build, decommission, operate in between and dispose of hazardous waste? Plus the occasional environmental catastrophe (Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima).
Have the monumental problems been solved while I wasn’t looking?
September 13, 2022
In terms of death per MWH nuclear probably has the best record of all the alternatives. The most dangerous is hydro with damn breaches.
September 13, 2022
DA :
Fission nuclear energy has the fewest deaths/TWhr of all energy types and is the only source of affordable, reliable, weather independent low carbon energy.
September 13, 2022
PS : As I write wind is providing just 2.57 GW out of an installed capacity of 27 GW and solar nothing at all.
September 13, 2022
Mark :
If true this would be good news as it means discontinuing with the poorly performing EPR technology.
I donât know enough about nuclear technology to make a recommendation but I see that the most common technology is PWR, which is the technology used in the RR SMR design.
I think that constructing SMRâs on a factory line should be far cheaper than building the current large one-offs. We have plenty of discontinued/existing nuclear sites with the necessary infrastructure, workforce and security in place. In addition there should be some discontinued coal-fired plants with the necessary National Grid connection at least, like the one the COP 26 President blew up last year.
Several SMRs can be placed at each site and we have the technology/capability to produce the fuel.
This would give us energy security, unlike the EDF/China nuclear option or the wind turbines and solar panels which are all produced in China.
September 13, 2022
One well design large reactor is almost always going to be safer and far more efficient than several small ones!
September 14, 2022
The problem for SMRs is that they need to be certified, a process that takes a long time, and then actually moved through from prototype to production. Existing proven designs do not have to undergo so complex a process. We can get on with building as soon as contracts are signed.
SMRs may prove to be the future, but we need to get cracking straight away. If we aim for a nuclear dominated grid eventually to replace fossil fuels then we will want in any case to phase construction rather than bunch it. That mistake lies behind the current French problems with too many if their reactors reaching old age at once.
September 13, 2022
Or even just extend the life of existing reactors. Winter follows Summer. Tightening supplies and prices in the electricity market. Not to mention a “Ukraine war”, which obviously was not a concern at all.
websearch “government-slammed-over-failure-to-ask-edf-to-keep-hinkley-point-b-open”
September 14, 2022
If you are going nuclear SMR then the https://nuclear.gepower.com/build-a-plant/products/nuclear-power-plants-overview/abwr-page is the way to go. But you need ten of them to replace Sizewell C
September 13, 2022
“I was pleased to read today Parliament may return to fight recession and the cost of living crisis later this month after the period of national mourning.2
Quite right. We got straight on with the business of the Accession and bedding down the new Monarch in all parts of the Kingdom in the midst of mourning. So too should we get on with establishing the new administration and its direction.
September 13, 2022
The government (Sunak especially) caused the cost of living crisis with his money printing, the net zero religion, his vast over taxation, endless government waste, the absurd long covid lockdown⊠why do you think they will now start to sort it?
Truss is still absurdly hooked on the mad net zero religion.
September 14, 2022
I don’t think – the jury as she would say is still out – but I do hope.
September 13, 2022
I see inheritance tax is not charged because it is not right to ‘salami slice’ the monarch’s wealth each generation. But it’s okay for the rest of us. Hmmm.
September 13, 2022
40% is not a salami slice it is nearly half of the sausage. If everyone pays 40% IHT but one person does not then it is not too many generations before that one person owns almost everything!
September 13, 2022
Like Sir John, I have been drawing parallels between the two Queen Elizabeths.
Spain was the superpower of Europe in Elizabeth 1 days. And wasn’t Queen Elizabeth brilliant in fooling Spain for years while secretly aiding Spain’s Enemies in their Subject Nations !!
Elizabeth 2 was in a different situation when Edward Heath took us into the E.E.C.
Whatever she may have thought about it, there was nothing she could do to prevent it.
I wonder what she thought, in private, about the Brexit Referendum result.
And I wonder how much of her secret thoughts she shared with Prince Philip.
September 13, 2022
Watching the coverage of the King’s visit to Northern Ireland alarm bells began to ring for me when I saw Liz Truss in animated conversation with the Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin while awaiting the King’s arrival at St Anne’s Cathedral. Of course it shouldn’t be like that, it should be seen as a good thing that they talking freely with each other, but Theresa May and Boris Johnson have both taught us that we must be constantly wary of allowing our Prime Minister any opportunity to conspire against us.
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2022/09/05/zimbabwe-venezuela-sri-lanka-three-poster-countries-for-price-controls/#comment-1339225
“… surely by now members of the ERG should have realised that it is always potentially a very bad idea to allow our Prime Minister to go off alone and have a private meeting with the Irish Prime Minister?”
September 13, 2022
The telephone conversation between them on the 9th was one of the more banal that Truss had with world leaders.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-call-with-taoiseach-micheal-martin-9-september-2022–2
Perhaps only exceeded by Albanese of Australia. I thought the conversation with Trudeau had a certain frisson, talking about avoiding energy dependency on authoritarian governments.
September 13, 2022
She seemed to be explaining things to him. I was pleased to see her losing no opportunity.
September 14, 2022
That should be the way of it, but I am deeply pessimistic about her intentions because the obvious first step is to establish an alternative method of protecting the EU Single Market, one based upon export controls on the goods being carried across the open land border from Northern Ireland into the Irish Republic. That could easily be done simply by extending the existing SPIRE system of export licences to cover all those goods as a new category, which would not in any way contravene the protocol and would probably only need secondary legislation if in fact it needed any new legal basis at all. Having unilaterally put in place an effective alternative solution to this rather minor problem of how to regulate the trickle of goods across the land border the UK government would then be in a much stronger position to drop the protocol system. So why has Liz Truss not taken this first innocuous step since she was put in charge last December, why is she going straight in with the most contentious proposals?
September 14, 2022
Does your solution rid us of the constitutional outrage of having the EU lording it over part of our country?
September 15, 2022
Yes, it means that we take obviously reasonable steps to be helpful to our neighbours without allowing them to lord it over us in any part of our country, while at the same time reducing any excuse for “retaliation” if they still choose not to reciprocate. The shame will then fall on them, not us. Lord Peter Lilley urged this course back in February:
https://conservativehome.com/2022/02/12/peter-lilley-the-protocol-mutual-enforcement-of-the-law-can-ensure-goods-are-eu-uk-compliant-without-border-checks/
“In the event of the UK taking action under Article 16 or resiling from the Protocol, it would be sensible, and show good will, unilaterally to make it an offense to export non-compliant goods to the Republic/EU even if the EU chose not to reciprocate. That would reduce any excuse for ârebalancing measuresâ.”
September 13, 2022
Both Queen Elizabeths had to be bold in a man’s and were both successful in leading from the front. The first died aged 69 the second aged 96!
They both leave powerful legacies in deeds and words, breaking the glass ceiling and walls where lesser mortals feared to tread.
I’m sure Liz Truss will be bold and be inspired by our late Queen ‘s example at this critical moment in time for the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland facing many challenges too.
September 13, 2022
The silence from the new Government about the Northern Ireland Protocol is ominous. Dublin, the EU and British Remainers are in full cry about the need for the British government to cave in to restore “trust” and “goodwill”. They are apparently trying to arrange a delegation of American businessmen to come to Belfast to say how important it is that NI be part of the single market and accept “ever closer union” with Dublin and Brussels. The British government urgently needs to make the case that it is Ireland that must make proposals that will restore the Good Friday institutions and Brussels that must appoint a negotiator with a mandate to agree the measures in the U.K. command paper of last year. If Liz Truss does not get on the front foot immediately on NI she will rapidly go the way of Theresa May.
September 14, 2022
One ruled, the other reigned.
There’s no comparison.